Page 17 of Sicilian Sunset

This is what I grew up with even before my mum passed away when I was eight. This is what he taught me to believe. And I do to this day.

Though in recent years, I started doubting papà’s words. Not once has a woman inspired such feelings… lust, yes, frequently. The pleasures of a woman’s body are easy to come by when you have power and money. I’ve got both in spades.

Good looks also help. I’m not vain, but my entire family has been blessed in this department. Especially Mateo uses it to his advantage. His voracious appetite sees him bed one beauty after another. He too is waiting for his one, but until that day comes, he’s determined to enjoy every beautiful woman who crosses his path.

Ella, though, will be off-limits to him because she’s mine—theonemeant for me.

I knew even before I had taken in her gorgeous face and spectacular body. I knew even before she mentioned her name, which, when she told me, left me breathless for a moment.

Every single cell in my body recognized her.

But even with my father’s words running in the background, I never expected to know from one millisecond to the next.

In my mind, I’d meet a woman and there’d be something unique about her that would pique my interest and draw me in. And over time, it would become obvious that she was the one.

Not in a million years did I expect a lightning bolt to strike me.

This sort of reaction happens only in Hollywood movies, and I dismissed it as cliché and utterly unrealistic.

I was wrong.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul. And I saw hers.

I saw her beautiful, bright-shining light, so brilliant and pure, it drew me like a moth to a flame—I couldn’t look away if I had tried.

Not only that, but I merged with it.

In one bright flash of light, electricity jolted through me, making me feel alive and unstoppable.

Even now, with Ella gone, her soul keeps calling me like a siren’s song. Her scent is still invading my nostrils, her touch still lingering on my skin where her fingers brushed against me, even if only for a second.

My senses swim with my awareness of her. Her softness has made me an addict in a heartbeat.

I’m no romantic, so the thoughts swirling in my mind are the biggest surprise of all.

Looking up to the heavens, I salute my father.

Papà, you were right.

And Ella felt it too.

I could tell by how flustered I made her. Goosebumps erupted on her skin whenever I touched her… and I wanted to do so much more touching.

The moment I laid eyes on her, I was rock hard… still am, in fact. What a sweet moment it will be when I claim her as mine and later have her grow ripe with my child.

Her instincts told her to run as if she sensed the danger. And she’s right—I am a dangerous man. But she can’t get away from me—not now, not ever. I’ve waited too long for her, and now that our paths have crossed, I’ll never let her go.

A deep inner peace fills me that comes from finally achieving a lifelong quest.

I’m aware I know nothing about my blonde angel, but Santino will find out every big and small detail about the beautiful Ella Rose O’Neil before tomorrow’s dinner.

Time will tell how perfect she is for me, my more pragmatic side reminds me. But deep down in my bones, I feel she’s right for me in all ways. And my instincts have never let me down. I trust them with my life.

Ella, my princess, my angel… you don’t know it yet, but you are all mine—until death do us part.

Chapter Four

Ella

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